About Us

Set of toilet signs. Toilet labels.American Restroom Association is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization

American Restroom Association was incorporated in the state of Maryland, USA in September 2004.

Please note:  We can not provide legal advice! Please view our Disclaimer.

Mission Statement
The American Restroom Association advocates for the availability of clean, safe, well designed public restrooms.

Our scope of our mission includes:

  • Restroom design and technology
  • Restroom availability and accessibility
  • Pertinent legislation and regulations
  • Documenting the problems faced by people who hesitate to travel or who avoid activities that put them out of range of proper toilet facilities

Our goals are to:

  • Generate public relations campaigns that result in positive coverage by the press
  • Address regulatory and legislative weakness
  • Act as a health impact clearing house
  • Survey and develop “Municipal Friendliness Ratings”
  • Communicate with other similar associations around the world
  • Develop suggestions, brochures and suggested designs
  • Serve as clearing house for companies and individuals promoting these products and designs
  • Develop lines of communication with mall and building managers, architects, builders and other groups
ARA Founding Press Release
November 8, 2004: American Restroom Association (ARA) Launched, will present at the World Toilet Summit  in Beijing.  Click here for full article.
Board Members and Roles

Executive Director:  Tim Pyle, M.B.A., M.S., Executive Director – International Paruresis Association, Catonsville, MD
President and Co-founder:  Steven Soifer,  Ph.D.LGSW, Co-founder, Advisor, and Consultant – International Paruresis Association, Oxford, MS
Vice-President:  Kathryn Anthony, Ph.D.,  Professor – School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Secretary: Brad Polsky, Design Innovation & Research, Future Readiness, Inc.
Treasurer:  Tom Achatz, P.E., Past President & Board member – IPA, Project Manager – General Motors, Brighton, MI
International Plumbing Code Consultant:  Bruce Pitts, BSMET, Independent Restroom Design Advocate, Aiken, SC
Additional Board Members: 
Lori Apfel Cardeli
, AIA, NCARB, Architect – Anne Decker Architects, LLC, Bethesda, MD
Kyle Earlywine, representing PHLUSH (Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human)
Cheryl Gartley, President and Founder – The Simon Foundation for Continence, Wilmette, IL
Donald D. Goertz, AIA/CSI – Architect, La Jolla, CA
Chad Kaufman, President, Public Restroom Company
Tom Keating, Ph.D., Founder & Coordinator – Project CLEAN, Decatur, GA
Harvey Molotch, Professor Emeritus, Metropolitan Studies and Sociology, New York University
Mary Munk, Independent Restroom Design Advocate – Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans, La Jolla, CA
Board Observers/Coalition Partners:
Carol McCreary, Program Manager – PHLUSH (Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human)
Stalled! Seb Choe, Liaison to ARA
Interested in connecting your nonprofit to ARA as a Coalition Partner? Contact Tim Pyle, ARA executive director.

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